Information for candidates

How do I nominate myself? 

Nominations for the GSA Election for Representative Council Members for 2023 opened on the 13th of March 2023 and closed on the 20th of March 2023. 

GSA Elected Representative Honoraria 

GSA Elected Representatives will be paid an honorarium.

The General Secretary may request proof of enrolment to confirm that GSA Elected Representatives are entitled to receive an honorarium as per the constitution (Clause 7.3 (b), 9.3 (b)) following the election process. GSA has an obligation to verify that international students nominating for elected representatives have sufficient work rights to receive honorarium payments. The Returning Officer will collect visa status from international student candidates so that work rights can be verified. 

Please see attached the Honorarium memo  

Nominations 

Nominations for election to the GSA Board, Representative Council and Faculty Council close 7 business days before the date of the election as per clause 2.8 (a) (ii) of the electoral regulations. 

Nominations (if any) for casual vacancies in the GSA Board or Representative Council close one business day before the date of the election. 

All nominations must be submitted in writing to the Returning Officer. 

Elections 

All GSA Board members, Representative and Faculty Councillors are elected by the graduate students at a general election. 

A general election will be held each year in Semester 1, within the first eight weeks of Semester 1 and must be completed at least two weeks prior to the AGM as per clause 2.8 (f) of the electoral regulations. 

All elections must be: 

  • held by secret ballot; 
  • held pursuant to the Electoral Regulations; and 
  • regulated by the Electoral Tribunal. 

As per clause 2.16 of the electoral regulations, there must be a separate ballot for GSA Board, Representative Council and Faculty Council. 

Positions for nomination 

The GSA Board

Board members elected by the members hold office for three years. A GSA Board member casual vacancy is appointed by the Board members. They hold office until the conclusion of the next annual general meeting following their appointment.

The GSA board consists of a President, Vice-President, General Secretary, Treasurer, and four Board Members

At least 50 per cent of the GSA Board members must be women according to clause 7.7 (b) of the constitution.

The GSA Representative Council

Representative Council Members are elected by members to their respective portfolios for one year.  A GSA Representative Council Member casual vacancy is appointed by representative council members and holds office until the conclusion of the next annual general meeting following their appointment.

Officer Position

Number of positions available

Activities Officer

x1 Position

Women’s Officer*

x1 Position

International Officer*

x1 Position

Health and Welfare Officer

x1 Position

Families Officer*

x1 Position

Queer Officer*

x1 Position

Education (Coursework) Officer*

x1 Position

Education (Research) Officer*

x1 Position

First Nations Officer*

x1 Position

Disability and Equity Officer*

x1 Position

Environment and Sustainability Officer

x1 Position

*The following positions refer to restricted constituencies

Restricted constituencies refer to eligibility requirements for those who identify as being part of that constituency are eligible to nominate and stand for that officer role at elections. As per clause 9.7 (b) of the constitution and clause 2.7 (a) of the electoral regulations.

The following restricted eligibility requirements have been set by the board:

  • Women’s Office – those who identify as a woman.
  • International Officer – those who are enrolled as an international student.
  • Families Officer – those who identify as student parents or those with caring responsibilities.
  • Queer Officer – those who identify as Queer, including, but not limited to, being same-sex attracted, homosexual, bisexual, pansexual, asexual, intersex, trans, non-binary, or sex and/or gender diverse.
  • Education (Coursework) Officer – those who are enrolled in a graduate coursework program, as defined by the University of Melbourne.
  • Education (Research) Officer – those who are enrolled in a higher degree by research program, as defined by the University of Melbourne.
  • First Nations Officer – those who are of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander origin.
  • Disability and Equity Officer – those with long-term physical, intellectual, psychiatric, sensory, neurological, learning disabilities as well as persistent chronic illnesses.

The GSA Faculty Council

The Faculty Council will comprise of two graduate students from each faculty who are elected by other graduate students in their faculty (Clause 10 (c) of the constitution). The faculty council will hold their positions for one year. As per the clause 6.10 (a) of the electoral regulations, only those members who belong to a particular faculty may stand to represent that faculty.

Faculty

Number of positions available

Architecture, Building and Planning

x2 Positions

Arts

x2 Positions

Business and Economics

x2 Positions

Education

x2 Positions

Engineering and Information Technology 

x2 Positions

Fine Arts and Music

x2 Positions

Law

x2 Positions

Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences

x2 Positions

Science

x2 Positions


More information 

All elections must be held by secret ballot; held pursuant to the Electoral Regulations; and regulated by the Electoral Tribunal. (Clause 12.2 (c) of the constitution)

For more information on the rules please read the Electoral regulations